Although Heartworm Disease is almost 100% preventable, many cats are still diagnosed with the disease each year.
What is Heartworm Disease?
Heartworm disease is caused when an infected mosquito bites a cat and transmits tiny heartworm larvae into the cat's bloodstream. Over time, these larvae develop into mature heartworms, and although the name of the disease suggests that it primarily affects the heart, they actually reside in the cat's pulmonary arteries - the vessels that carry blood from the heart to the lungs. The scientific name for the heartworm parasite is Canine Evil Filariasis. Although cats typically carry fewer heartworms than dogs, even small numbers of immature worms can cause lung damage that can lead to heartworm-associated respiratory disease (HARD).
Symptoms of Heartworm Disease
Symptoms of heartworm disease in cats may be similar to those of other diseases, such as feline asthma. Common symptoms include: intermittent vomiting (sometimes with blood), diarrhea, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, coughing, dry heaving, loss of appetite, lethargy and weight loss. In some cases, cats may not show any symptoms, while for others, the only sign of infection may be sudden death.
Diagnosis
Diagnosing heartworm disease in cats is often difficult. It usually involves a variety of tests: a complete blood count, a blood chemistry analysis, a chest x-ray, an antibody test for the parasite, and another test to detect adult heartworm proteins in the blood. Ultrasound imaging may be helpful in localizing heartworms in the heart or lung vessels, but these tests can sometimes be inconclusive.
Unlike dogs, there is no effective treatment for heartworm disease in cats.